****the Pure Storm LTD Support Group****

i've been seeing more and more threads concerning this great stick, so i figured, why not? also, while being great sticks in their own right, and bearing the same name, I don't feel that the Pure Storm and the Pure Storm Tour plays anything like the Pure Storm Limited.

I've only one of these so far! I look to get a couple more in the future, maybe in a smaller grip size. here's my current setup--

i'm not crazy about my current string, but i've also tried a 17 gauge BB Alu(m)/NXT Tour(x) hybrid, and a full bed of NXT 16. I liked both of these, but i may tension up to 60-62 lbs. next time. I'm not a rich dude, and i don't have my own stringer, so experimenting with string setups/tensions isn't a very worthwhile at the moment.

I've also found the PSL 18x20 string pattern to be much denser than other 18x20's! I came from the Dunlop M-Fil 200's, and the PSL seems to be less friendly to 16 gauge stringjobs. 15 gauge stringers need not apply! The bed is far too dense for such a thick string. even 16 gauge string can make you feel like you're swinging a paddleboard at the wrong tension.

anyway, these are my findings....and although i almost switched to the Pure Storm Tour, i'm glad that i stuck it out and realized the true qualities this stick has among all of the other 18x20 players sticks. have fun everybody, and please post your setups and/or pictures and experiences! the TT boards were very helpful to me when choosing a new stick, and i'm sure this will do the same for other perspective players.

Lower tensions definitely work better for me. At 60 lbs I had a very dead stick in my hands, but at 55 I definitely got a more comfortable feel with increased dwell time, more control and just the right amount of power.

I just got off the court tonight after stringing up with PSGD 17 (55 lbs) and it was heavenly. This was my first experience with 17 guage strings and I'm already thinking of cutting the strings off and going with 50 lb tension or moving to 18 guage. At five bucks a pop, why not?

I agree with the OP about 16 guage strings. The 17 guage really livened up the string bed. The PSGD didn't feel as comfortable as NXT, of course, but with a rubber band dampener I was able to get the comfort back.

I hear you! I've been using it since october. mine are leaded to 12.5 oz. lead at 3 & 9 o'clock / 4 5/8 grip / strung with prn.syn.gut original 17 GA. @ 60 lbs. I use unique or gamma gauze for the grip. many 18 X 20 pattern frames around, but the LTD. has the most solid feel no vibrations at all ! don't need a vib. dampner. which I really like ! has to be the best frame I've used since the 1988 head prestige. next time around I'm going to get it strung with uncoated gut 17 GA. what a terrifuc frame !!!

Lower tensions definitely work better for me. At 60 lbs I had a very dead stick in my hands, but at 55 I definitely got a more comfortable feel with increased dwell time, more control and just the right amount of power.

I just got off the court tonight after stringing up with PSGD 17 (55 lbs) and it was heavenly. This was my first experience with 17 guage strings and I'm already thinking of cutting the strings off and going with 50 lb tension or moving to 18 guage. At five bucks a pop, why not?

I agree with the OP about 16 guage strings. The 17 guage really livened up the string bed. The PSGD didn't feel as comfortable as NXT, of course, but with a rubber band dampener I was able to get the comfort back.

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you're right 55 lbs. is the "Golden" tension for this frame like the older prestige. 1st reaction is its going to be loose it ain't its a great meld of power and control.

I'm really interested in trying some lead so I can hold up better against heavy hitters but without the low swingweight and my slow prep times, I'll never come around in time.

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thats why I add lead so I won't be shoved around by guys who hit hard & heavy. the racket comes off the shelf kinda light for me at least. all babolats seem to come that way (up to the player to determine the weight) why don't you just add lead at 12 o'clock for a start. I have no trouble preparing and hitting thru the ball with the lead I have on it.

My God!... "Support group"?... sounds like something affiliated with Alcoholics Anoymous or Narcotics Anonymous or some such organization?! :shock: ... Anyway... great frame by all accounts... the Babolat Alliance wishes this thread well blackdot!

My God!... "Support group"?... sounds like something affiliated with Alcoholics Anoymous or Narcotics Anonymous or some such organization?! :shock: ... Anyway... great frame by all accounts... the Babolat Alliance wishes this thread well blackdot!

R.

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yes! i named it the "support group" for the reason that I kinda struggled with the frame at first, but I stuck with it, and i'm glad i did. and all of the other cool names for clubs were taken.

I also think the frame deserves it's own thread because the ratio between Wilson[K] 18x20's to Babolat 18x20's is like 40 to 1! Narrow it down to the PSL and it's more like 75 to 1! okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration. or is it?

I will admit, though, that the PSL is very picky with strings/tensions. the wrong string combo and you may hate it.

I'm also interested in trying out lead. I personally love the headlight balance and that's the main reason I got this stick. I used to play with the Pro Staff 7.5 (12 points HL) and this frame was the closest to that I could find. If I remember correctly, that Pro Staff was pretty picky about tension too.

blackdot: if you try some lead, can you post back here? I'm off to the local shop to pick up some Unique lead tape. I decided to go with this brand because they cut in 1/4" width. Babolat lead tape cuts in 1/2" width or 1" which is too fat for this stick. I'll post back after Sunday with my experience.

I don't know that there is such a thing as a lead expert, but I don't see any reason for where the lead goes other than you like it there. Put it on the top, put it on the bottom, put in the middle, or all three. It's your frame, and lead tape is great because you can peel it off and put it somewhere else. Use it where you like it.

I like to add weight to the handle on my frames. I very rarely add weight to the head. I guess if I played at a higher level I might want a little more lead up top, but for now I didn't really see much of an advantage to it when I tried it.

I don't know that there is such a thing as a lead expert, but I don't see any reason for where the lead goes other than you like it there. Put it on the top, put it on the bottom, put in the middle, or all three. It's your frame, and lead tape is great because you can peel it off and put it somewhere else. Use it where you like it.

I like to add weight to the handle on my frames. I very rarely add weight to the head. I guess if I played at a higher level I might want a little more lead up top, but for now I didn't really see much of an advantage to it when I tried it.

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If you add weight to the handle, you're making the racquet more head-light? or just adding to the static weight?

The pure storm ltd is a very nice stick. I demoed it a few weeks ago and decided to get one just recently. Stock it felt a bit too stiff and dead feeling for me, but with some lead at 3,9 and in the handle it was a very different beast. Nice flex and old school feel but with the added bonus of good maneuvrability. It reminded me a little of the PS 6.0 95 in tems of feel, nice solid and crisp with just the right amount of flex.

is it necessary to balance out the weight added to either half of the frame?

for example, if i add 10 grams to 3 & 9 o'clock, should i add the same 10 grams to the handle?

i agree that some may find the PSL a bit lightweighted. i want to toy around with lead setups more, but i hate unwrapping my grip/overgrip over and over again, you know?

-e

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Start by adding the weight to 3 and 9 only. The racket is ridiculously head light unless it's weighted up a bit mid hoop. The stock frame felt like bamboo to me. The PSL is a nice frame when customized properly.

BTW...try my string set up below in the PSL. It's very nice in a 18x20 frame. My other main string fav is SPPP 1.18 (a bit softer)

... The racket is ridiculously head light unless it's weighted up a bit mid hoop. The stock frame felt like bamboo to me. The PSL is a nice frame when customized properly.
...

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The extreme headlight balance is my favorite part! I think the beauty of this racquet is that it still weighs in at 11.8 ounces with 1) 305 swingweight and 2) 8 points head light.

This equates to a super maneuverable racquet that doesn't launch like a n00b-cannon. The only downside is that I wish it were a little more stable on off-center shots. Does anyone know how to correct this, without increasing the swing-weight?

I think my only option, so far, is the lead at 3 and 9. Hopefully it won't make a noticeable difference in swing-weight.

If you add weight to the handle, you're making the racquet more head-light? or just adding to the static weight?

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Both. Mine are about 12.6oz now with overgrip and dampener. I added lead only under the butt cap. I tried some lead up top, but the extra power was unwelcome. I like to swing hard when I want to hit hard, and it just felt like too much. Seems just about right without the lead.

The only downside is that I wish it were a little more stable on off-center shots. Does anyone know how to correct this, without increasing the swing-weight?

I think my only option, so far, is the lead at 3 and 9. Hopefully it won't make a noticeable difference in swing-weight.

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Adding lead at 3 and 9 will be a noticeable increase in swing weight unless you add very little lead. I don't really find it all that unstable on off-center shots. The only time I really notice a significant effect is when the ball actually hits frame.

Try about a half ounce under the butt cap and see if that doesn't make it feel more solid.

Adding lead at 3 and 9 will be a noticeable increase in swing weight unless you add very little lead. I don't really find it all that unstable on off-center shots. The only time I really notice a significant effect is when the ball actually hits frame.

Try about a half ounce under the butt cap and see if that doesn't make it feel more solid.

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i'll give this a try! does the lead HAVE to be under the buttcap? or can i have it on the handle under and overgrip? i'm trying to keep from lifting my leather grip again.

The extreme headlight balance is my favorite part! I think the beauty of this racquet is that it still weighs in at 11.8 ounces with 1) 305 swingweight and 2) 8 points head light.

This equates to a super maneuverable racquet that doesn't launch like a n00b-cannon. The only downside is that I wish it were a little more stable on off-center shots. Does anyone know how to correct this, without increasing the swing-weight?

I think my only option, so far, is the lead at 3 and 9. Hopefully it won't make a noticeable difference in swing-weight.

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Of course all of this is highly subjective. One man's club is another man's scalpel. 10g of lead at 3 and 9 doesn't make the SW that much higher and it DOES make it more stable on off center hits. It also makes the upper hoop a little more playable IMO. The upper hoop (as in 2" above center) in stock form is mush.

i'll give this a try! does the lead HAVE to be under the buttcap? or can i have it on the handle under and overgrip? i'm trying to keep from lifting my leather grip again.

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The butt cap has a trap door in it. You can use a small flat head screwdriver or something similar to pop it right off. Then you simply drop a couple of 1/4 ounce fishing weights in it. One on each side. I wrap them in electrical tape so they are tight and don't rattle, but cotton or cloth or something could be used too. It's easy to remove if needed.

I added 1 gram each at 3 and 9 o'clock and it makes a difference! The racquet definitely has a heavier swingweight, but that could be a good thing. I'm looking to add more plough through effect and power.

I played with my old Pro Staff Classic 6.1 and I actually liked the heavier swing-weight it offered. I think it helps with the plough through. The weight was great for my 2H-backhand, but my forehands were close to spraying when I stepped into it with the Pro Staff. It's just too heavy for me to control on the forehand side.

Is there a solution to this? I need more heft for the backhand side, but less for the forehand side.

Just wanted to add this in here. I've been reading about Technifibre X1 Biphase and the added power you get from it. This might also be an option for people looking to get a little extra power out of the Pure Storm Limited.

The butt cap has a trap door in it. You can use a small flat head screwdriver or something similar to pop it right off. Then you simply drop a couple of 1/4 ounce fishing weights in it. One on each side. I wrap them in electrical tape so they are tight and don't rattle, but cotton or cloth or something could be used too. It's easy to remove if needed.

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hey kevo, just took your advice, and threw a 1/2 oz of lead under the trap door. when the weather clears up, i'm gonna try this with some lead at 2/9 and without. we'll see what i end up with. thanks again!

I didn't like my lead experiment at 10 and 2. It increased the swingweight very noticeably and my arm didn't like it. I didn't notice a big change in the performance of the racquet.

I just restrung today with Prince Original Syn Gut 17 @ 52 lbs. I've been using 55lbs so I wanted to see what a little bit lower tension will do to the power.

I've also gone with 2 over grips in the handle and a heavier vibration dampner. I doubt the vibe dampner will do anything to change the weight, but the larger grip at the bottom might change balance a little. If at all, it feels more meaty in my hand. 4 3/8 might just be a little too small for me.

I had a great practice today and really got to know the qualities of this racquet. Timing is EVERYTHING.

The extremely headlight balance can be your best friend or your worst enemy. It gives me an extra second to prepare once I've run down a shot, and NEVER come around late. It's wicked. You can literally run down any shot with this racquet, start your swing motion when the balls right on top of you, and still make perfect contact.

This can also be your worst enemy. It actually forces you to take that extra time to prepare, or you'll end up early on everything. My swing style is very rapid through all the motions, so it fits this racquet perfectly. I love whipping the racquet all over the place, waggling the head before a shot, and making last minute adjustments. This racquet is perfect for that.

To make reference to my previous post, the POSG 17 @ 52 was terrible. It plays softer than the PSGD 17 but it was too underpowered. Way too much trampoline action going on, without the ball coming out.

I'm through working with lead. The extra plow through I was looking for turns out to just be a timing issue. I was so worried about coming around late that I was still preparing too early; resulting in terrible contact. When my hitting partner turned up the heat, that extra second of preparation time really shines. With a heavier racquet, I'd be forced onto my heels and hitting off my back foot, just to come around in time. Not with the PSL!! Prepare for the shot and dont' worry about coming around late, because it never happens. I was crushing the ball back and the feel was completely solid.

I was actually hoping he would give me some heat to work with because the PSL devours heavy balls. Seriously, stop trying to battle big sticks with a bigger stick. Take this precision 10 blade scapel to them and crank away at the ball. It's a low powered racquet, but if it had anymore power you couldn't play heavy hit balls the same way or they would sail out on you.

hey rxblitzrx, regarding your above post about timing, are you playing with the stock PSL or still have lead on the racquet and if so where? thanks.

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No lead.

I've tried it at 10,2 to open the sweetspot. It works, but even 4 grams was too much for my arm. Some people might say it's psychological, but I took it off half way through my practice and immediately felt a difference. I love to waggle the head of the racquet (like a baseball bat) and I just can't do it with a heavy racquet.

I tried it at 6 o'clock with an equal amount of lead right above the handle to improve plow through. That didn't seem to make any difference except make the racquet heavier. I took it off and everything felt right again.

This racquet is definitely string-sensitive. I started with 16 guage and found a much better response with 17. I really like it at 55 lbs. Last night I tested 52 lbs and it felt too mushy. It was soft, but I just didn't have that precise feedback on placement. This might be because of the type of string I was using. I might try X1-Biphase 17 at 52 lbs, but that sounds like an expensive experiment right now. I can handle $5 sets of syn gut and only using it for a day, but a $15 set of multifilament feels like a waste.

I'm through working with lead. The extra plow through I was looking for turns out to just be a timing issue. I was so worried about coming around late that I was still preparing too early; resulting in terrible contact. When my hitting partner turned up the heat, that extra second of preparation time really shines. With a heavier racquet, I'd be forced onto my heels and hitting off my back foot, just to come around in time. Not with the PSL!! Prepare for the shot and dont' worry about coming around late, because it never happens. I was crushing the ball back and the feel was completely solid.

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One suggestion on lead. I used to use the Storm tour and now use the Prestige Pro which has a similar stock SW to the PSL in the 307 range.

I use full poly on mine and that bumps the SW on the Pro up to around 321 and then I placed 2g under lead under the grommets. It's just enough to add a little bit of extra hurt to my groundies but it really helped my timing on the BH side. The SW on my storm tour was 333 and dropping down to the lighter SW on the Pro made it almost difficult to get my 2hbh timing right. That little 2g placed at the top of the hoop made everything perfect.

I'm enjoying this thread even though I have no plans to use the PSL-good work

One suggestion on lead. I used to use the Storm tour and now use the Prestige Pro which has a similar stock SW to the PSL in the 307 range.

I use full poly on mine and that bumps the SW on the Pro up to around 321 and then I placed 2g under lead under the grommets. It's just enough to add a little bit of extra hurt to my groundies but it really helped my timing on the BH side. The SW on my storm tour was 333 and dropping down to the lighter SW on the Pro made it almost difficult to get my 2hbh timing right. That little 2g placed at the top of the hoop made everything perfect.

I'm enjoying this thread even though I have no plans to use the PSL-good work

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That Prestige Pro sounds HIGHLY attractive. If it has more power than the PSL, then I might consider a serious demo.

I just put hybrid Pro Huricane/X1-Biphase on my PSL and it's heavy!! I didn't realize poly would make such a difference up top. I'll give it a weeks worth to prove itself, but I'm really a fan of high maneuverability. That's just tailoring to my laziness, late reaction times, and spazzy swingmotions that occur all at once. I'm not the kind of player to turn the racquet, the second I see it coming FH or BH, run to the ball, and swing. I see ball, I run to ball, I plant my feet, THEN I start my swing-motion and with a heavy racquet I usually come around late.

I noticed my 2HBH was also ending up in the net and it felt very awkward to swing the PSL on that side. I never made solid contact until last night (i've had the racquet about 3 weeks). I figured out that it's a serious timing issue. I was hitting the ball way too far in front of me. Two hands makes me come around even faster. Another issue was that I needed to choke up so that my bottom hand sits above the hump in the grip, and not hanging off the bottom of the grip (for my FH). That did it for me and now I pray that the ball always come to my BH. I love waggling the racquet like a baseball bat in anticipation as the ball is coming. The ball knows it's going to get pounded because I can see fuzz standing on end from nervousness.

The only trouble I have now is switching from forehand to backhand grips, but that will just take a little practice. Since I know how much time the PSL gives me to prepare, this adjustment shouldn't be hard at all.

I've never hit with the PSL as the tight string pattern scared me off a bit. I know that the PST is fairly low powered but it has more power than the PSL and the Pres Pro has a good bit more CONTROLLABLE power over the PST. It took me awhile to get it dialed in but I love it now. I've been using it for a month and am glad I switched but I did love my PST.

Poly really adds to the SW (not sure about the exact addition) but I love the control it gives me. I usually string 55/52 and it's a nice combo. I broke my alu power tonight so next I'm going to try out some KBaum PL2 and see how that goes.

You're so right about 17g strings in a tight 18X20 pattern. My son uses a prestige mid and started out with 16g kpro gut in there. He eventually move to 17g and I could not believe how much more feel the 17g had over the 16. Even visually it was much thinner and played much better.

so i've been toying around with lead, and i'm 95% sure that i've found my ideal setup.

i've found that my game/lower tensions do not fit. i took some advice that i heard from some other threads to drop my tension a bit to gain some control with the dense string pattern. i cut that stringjob out and re-strung w/ a full bed of Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 at 63 lbs. This, along with a 1/2 oz (approx 14 grams) of lead in the handle, and 4-5 grams at 3 and 9, and wow! so much more pop, and some really good plowthrough and feel, as compared to the stick in stock form.

i agree that the PSL in stock form, the 2hbh felt a bit awkward. adding more weight should solve that problem for sure.

so with that being said, i can't recommend this stick to anyone unless they plan on customizing. If you want to keep the racquet, you've gotta find your ideal setup. it's just plain "too light" of a frame, with a very, very dense 18x20 pattern.

oh yeah, i got some demoed more sticks form TW, one of them was the 4d 300 tour. not a bad frame.....

so i've been toying around with lead, and i'm 95% sure that i've found my ideal setup.

i've found that my game/lower tensions do not fit. i took some advice that i heard from some other threads to drop my tension a bit to gain some control with the dense string pattern. i cut that stringjob out and re-strung w/ a full bed of Gosen OG Sheep Micro 16 at 63 lbs. This, along with a 1/2 oz (approx 14 grams) of lead in the handle, and 4-5 grams at 3 and 9, and wow! so much more pop, and some really good plowthrough and feel, as compared to the stick in stock form.

i agree that the PSL in stock form, the 2hbh felt a bit awkward. adding more weight should solve that problem for sure.

so with that being said, i can't recommend this stick to anyone unless they plan on customizing. If you want to keep the racquet, you've gotta find your ideal setup. it's just plain "too light" of a frame, with a very, very dense 18x20 pattern.

oh yeah, i got some demoed more sticks form TW, one of them was the 4d 300 tour. not a bad frame.....

What strings are being used in these frames? I have a pair of Volkl's, and have thought these may be a good transition because the weight is similar. That said, I've had a heck of a time finding a string setup in the Volkl's that gives me the mix of power and control I want. I suspect more powerful strings may help with some of the issues people have with the Pure Storm Ltd, but I've never played with the racquet.

I'm using CyberBlue at 55lbs. for my main stick, but I am planning on changing to Kirschbaum Competition at either 54/56 or 55lbs. I have two sticks strung up both ways right now, and have just hit once with each of them. I am waiting to see what the break-in and wear will be like. I already tried Competition at 54lbs., and it was just a little soft after some wear, but played very close to the way I wanted. I could be happy with either string, but the yellow looks great, and it's a little more durable than Cyber Blue as well.

I may have already posted my string experiments but I'll put it down again:

1. Prince Syn Gut Duraflex 17 @ 55. This tension seems to work the best for me.

2. Prince Original Syn Gut 17 @ 52. Plays softer than PSGD, as lots of people claim, but at 52 lbs it was too mushy. The mains moved around (a lot) after only 1 hour. I cut the string job after one day.

3. NXT 16 @ 55. I could slam groundies all day with this string, but I did notice a difference with 17 guage. I'm thinking NXT 17 or X1-Biphase 17 would be perfect.

4. Pro Hurricane/X1-Biphase 17 @ 55/55. My current setup. I'm taking this one out to the court tomorrow and will edit this post after I've had a chance to try it. If this doesn't work for the next week, I'll be going full Biphase at 55 FTW.

* I just got back from playing two sets with Setup 4. I may have strung too tight, but it's got a nice solid feel; almost too solid. I can't tell if that's just the poly mains or the tension being too high, but I'm not getting enough trampoline action. I was crushing serves though! I might come back to this setup, but I'm dying to see what a full bed of X1 Biphase will feel like (especially after PED's post right below this one).

I've never been able to get full multi's to work for me. They were always too mushy, but full X1 is quite nice. Much crisper than NRG and nice power. X1 mains with CF crosses is fantastic but it breaks way too soon. I would think it would work well with this 18X20 pattern.

I think I discovered the true beauty of this frame. After hitting with it tonight I found out that it takes very little effort to play with this stick. The key is that you HAVE to play with little effort.

Fast swing speeds are rewarded very well. I find myself playing with a very loose grip on the racquet and not even grabbing it with my pinky finger, sometimes. You really have to whip it around to get it to work for you.

This works extremely well at the net. It's a very, very fast racquet up there and you have to use a loose grip. It's all about flicking the wrist at the ball. My volleys tonight were more solid than they've ever been in my month of owning this racquet.

This racquet is definitely a super Serve-and-Volley frame. Serving is a joy and fast racquet headspeed is easy to generate. This translates into serious bombs. Just keep your balance as you approach the net and remember to use a loose grip. Volleys will come effortlessly.

Groundies are a different story. Slice backhands are very effective if you flick your wrist at the ball. It cuts extremely hard and dies because the racquet is so powerless. The only time you will ever generate serious pace with this racquet is if you are feeding off of your opponents. Don't try to out muscle someone with this frame because it's a waste of energy. The racquet is about accuracy and it will do the job to get you up to the net. From there, you slice and dice with that scalpel.

Excellent analysis, especially the loose grip! I feel the same way. I use no lead and string with X1 Biphase @57. Short, angled backhand slices are particularly deadly. No point in long baseline rallies with this stick, just go to the net, hit a drop volley winner, watch opponent squirm, enjoy post-victory beer. The touch at the net is unbelievable. Don't know why folks would want to mess with this beauty by adding lead.

Excellent analysis, especially the loose grip! I feel the same way. I use no lead and string with X1 Biphase @57. Short, angled backhand slices are particularly deadly. No point in long baseline rallies with this stick, just go to the net, hit a drop volley winner, watch opponent squirm, enjoy post-victory beer. The touch at the net is unbelievable. Don't know why folks would want to mess with this beauty by adding lead.

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Thanks for reading. I know my sig says I use X1 Biphase 17 but I haven't actually tried it yet. I have a hybrid Pro Hurricane/X1 Biphase 55/55 right now. The poly is definitely not something I'm liking very much. Poly hits almost like it feels when you string it up... if that makes sense. Come to think of it, almost every string I've put on myself feeds back through the racquet the same way it feels when you string it.

I think I should just go back to full multi beds. I loved NXT 16 @ 55. Prince Syn Gut Duraflex 17 @ 55 was awesome too, but it was definitely stiffer than a multi. X1-Biphase 17 @ 55 might be perfect for me. I'll have to string up before the weekend and just take the $15 loss on the hybrid setup I just installed.